Method For Protecting High Moisture Commodities During Storage

Abstract

A method to protect a high-moisture commodity during storage for later production of a product includes inserting the high-moisture commodity into a hermetic storage container having sufficiently low permeability, and storing the commodity in bag or in bulk for up to 9 months or more prior to producing the product. The method eliminates the need for drying prior to storage.

1 . A method for protecting a high-moisture commodity during storage, the method comprising:
 providing a high-moisture commodity;   placing the high-moisture commodity in a hermetic storage container having sufficiently low permeability without drying the high-moisture commodity; and   storing the moist commodity in said hermetic storage container wherein said stored moist commodity may later be removed from said hermetic storage container and used to produce a product.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said providing a commodity comprises at least one of: providing corn; providing soy beans, and providing another organic feed stock. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the product is at least one of: ethanol; and starch. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the product is animal feed. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said storing comprises storing for up to 9 months. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said storing comprises storing for more than 2 months. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said storing comprises storing for more than 9 months. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said placing comprises placing the commodity in one of: a Cocoon™; and a SuperGrainbag™. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said placing comprises placing the commodity in a container comprised of a material used for a Cocoon™ or a SuperGrainbag™, wherein said container is for storage of large bulks of said commodity. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said container is for storage of up to 15,000 tons. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising first providing a frozen commodity and wherein said placing the commodity in a hermetic storage container comprises placing the frozen commodity in a hermetic storage container, and wherein said providing a commodity comprises allowing said frozen commodity to defrost while in the hermetic storage container. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said storing further comprises reducing an amount of oxygen in said hermetic storage container. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said reducing is done at least partially via respiration of said high-moisture commodity. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said reducing is initially accelerated by injection of CO 2  or N 2 . 
   
   
       15 . A method for using a hermetic storage container having sufficiently low permeability, the method comprising:
 introducing a high-moisture commodity into said hermetic storage container;   storing said high-moisture commodity in said hermetic storage container, wherein said storing further comprises depleting a level of oxygen in said hermetic storage container via internally-generated respiration;   removing said high-moisture commodity from said hermetic storage container; and   using said high-moisture commodity to produce a product from said high-moisture commodity.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said introducing comprises introducing said high-moisture commodity into at least one of: a Cocoon™; and a SuperGrainbag. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said storing is done for up to 9 months. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said storing is done for more than 2 months. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said storing is done for more than 9 months. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said reducing an amount of oxygen is done via respiration of said high-moisture commodity. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said using comprises using said high-moisture commodity to produce at least one of: ethanol; and starch. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said using comprises using said high-moisture commodity to produce animal feed. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said introducing comprises introducing a frozen high-moisture commodity, and further comprising allowing said frozen commodity to defrost while in the hermetic storage container. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said depleting a level of oxygen is accelerated by initially injecting CO 2  or N 2 .